Boat-detaching apparatus.



H. B. HILLS;

BOAT DETACHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FI LED OCT. 1. I918.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

UNITED sra'rns rarnnr orrrcn HARRY B. HILLS, OF RIVERTON. NEVI JERSEY,ASSIGNOR TO STEW'ARD DAVIT & EQUIP- MENT CORPORATION, OF NEV] YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOAT-DETACEIING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1%, 1918.

Application filed October 1, 1918. Serial No. 256,375.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. HILLS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in Riverton, in the county of Burlington, in the Stateof New Jersey, have invented cerfiiin new and useful Improvements inBoat-Detaching Apparatus, or which the following is a true and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part thereof.

My invention relates to boat davit apparatus such as is used forlaunching life boats from ships and particularly to such apparatus as isprovided with locking and unlocking devices for holding the mechanism,which couples the boat at bow and stern to the davit tackle in engagedposition and releasing it when desired.

The object of my invention is to provide such apparatus with asupplemental locking device actuated by the weight of the stern of thesuspended boat only, and whereby the locking devices which couple theboat to the davit tackle are held in engaged position until the stern ofthe boat is supported by the water. and my invention consists, generallyspeaking, in providing, for boat davit apparatus of the kind referredto, a supplemental locking device operatively actuated by the weight ofthe stern of the suspended boat only and acting to prevent thedisengagement of the boat from the clavit tackle at all times. exceptwhen the stern of the boat is water borne. and to permit its readydisengagement at all times when the stern of the boat is water borne.

Reference being now had to the drawing which illustrates my invention inwhat I believe to be its most simple and eiiicient embodiment and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical se tion of a boat provided with myimproved locking device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing a device for attaching the boatsstern to the falls with releasing mechanism. and a supplemental lockingdevice operatively actuated by the weight of the stern of the boat.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but

showing a modified form of supplemental locking device, and

Fig. 4 is a view showing a device for attaching the bow of the boat tothe falls.

, A is the boat, A its bow, and A its stern, B and B are the falls bywhich the boat is suspended from the davits, B B being eyes with whichthe hooks on the boat engage, (l and C are the engaging devices securedto the bow and stern of the boat, and, as shown, they and the mechanismfor locking and releasing them are generally the same as shown anddescribed in my application for Letters Patent filed June 23, 1917,Serial No. 176A77. The device, as shown, consists of a channel iron Dhaving outwardly extending parallel flanges D in .vhich are formedparallel slots D for the guidance of the hook locking device or pin G. Eis a pivot pin secured to the flanges D and serving to pivotally supportthe hook F, which is formed with a locking tail or arm F, which, whenthe hook is in engaging position extends down alongside of the slots Dand is engaged and locked by the sliding lock G, the retraction of whichpermits the hook to turn up and release the boat from the falls.

As shown, the lock G is actuated by the connecting rod H, crankconnected at H to a rock shaft H along the bottom of the boat Hindicating the position of a crank arm for turning the shaft.

All the above des ribed features are found in my former application inwhich the boat can be released from the falls by withdrawing the lockingdevices whether the boat is water borne or not. and many other devicesare well known which have the same capacity. In my new construction 1form the bow engaging device as heretofore with, so far as its ownpeculiar constru'tion is concerned. the some capactiy to be releasedirrespective of the support of the boat by the water. Thus. as shown. Iform the l ck contacting face F of the ho k tail straight. so as toofier onlv frictional resistance to the movement of the lock G. In thestern engaging devire.however.I providea locking device to en age and lold the lock G against retraction. which lockin device is operativclyactuated by the weight of the stern of the boat. so that until the sternis water supported the locking device will prevent the retraction of thelock, and a very efiicient and simple locking device of this kindonsists in forming on the lo"l ing tail of the hook a projecting fingerF which projects beneath the lock G and only permits of its withdrawalby a backward movement of the hook tail F and an actual raising of theboats stern.

in the construction shown, and this should be true of any embodiment ofmy invention, the hook locking devices G G at bow and stern are actuatedtogether, being operatively connected by the rock shaft H and its lockactuating connections; but it will be obvious that the operation of thesupplemental locking device at the stern will permit the release of theboat from the falls only when the stern is water borne and irrespectivecf the position of the bow with respect to the Water.

In Fig. 3 i have shown a modified supplemental locking device consistingof detent D formed at the head of the slots D and used with straightface F 01' the locking tail. Obviously this will operate in the same Wayas the device of Fig. 2.

My invention is capable of application in iopies this patent may beobtained for five cents each, 3,

menace many forms, and these illustrated are simply given by me as thebest :t'orms known to me and my claim is not to be understood as limitedto the specific devices illustrated.

Having now described my invention, What 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: Y

Davit connections adapted to be secured to the stem and stern of aboatcomprising boat engaging and releasing devices in combination with meansfor locking and releasing said devices simultaneously, and meansoperatively actuated by the Weight of the stern of the boat only wherebythe operation of the unlocking means is obstructed While and only Whilethe boatstern is unsupported by the Water.

HARRY B. HILLS,

by addressing e commissioner at Eatents e,

